There is very little film footage of the Seattle Pilots. They didn’t have a television contract and the news stations tended not to keep their sports highlight archives for very long because all of that film took up a lot of space. Fortunately, a promotional film about the Pilots, created by Pilots director of communications Bill Sears, survives. It’s called The First Voyage and it’s a terrific piece that shows how the Pilots were born, introduces players and shows some in-game highlights. Until recently, the film was only available on VHS, which had been duplicated from the original 1″ tape transfer. In fact, many of you own that tape. Well, Bill Sears was kind enough to entrust us with a 16mm print of The First Voyage long enough to get it transferred to high definition video by the good folks at Alpha-Cine in Seattle. I really didn’t know what to expect because I was warned that a nearly 40-year-old film might have faded out and the image compromised. But when I saw the final product I was stunned. The colors are rich and the details are sharp. Here’s a comparison:
The old standard definition version.
The new high definition version.
The top image is taken from the old VHS version (which was used for the trailer.) And the bottom image is of the same frame from the new HD version. Notice the color and detail. You can now read the word “Detroit” on the visiting player’s uniform. You can see much more of the picture because the old transfer lopped off about 20% around the edges. It’s like a totally new film and the images from it will be a key part of the documentary.
And speaking of images, if you or someone you know has film or still pictures of the Pilots and you would be willing to let us use them in the documentary, please let us know by emailing Steve using the link on the side. Full credit will be given.
Stay tuned for more updates…
Dear Sir: I am eagerly awaiting this video on one of the great teams in terms of American sports lore. However, there are some general misconceptions regarding the Pilots. Having won 64 games, they are nowhere near one of the worst teams in major league history. And although far from successful at the box office, there were at least three other teams with worse attendance in 1969 than the Pilots, including a Phillies team that barely drew 500,000 in Philadelphia. Good luck with your project!
I have a VHS copy of “The First Voyage,” and I can’t wait to see the improved version!
I am curious, though, as to whether there are other sources of video for the Pilots in action. Do the local news stations have archival footage? What about Don Mincher’s appearance in the 1969 All-Star Game in Washington, D.C.? Do opposing teams have footage of Pilots games? For example, the White Sox hosted the Pilots in Milwaukee for one game in the summer of 1969. I imagine that may have received press coverage in Milwaukee at the time, considering the city did not have a franchise, and the special games in Milwaukee were attended by record crowds.